La 701 – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Tito Double P, Luis R Conriquez

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant world of Regional Mexican music with 'La 701' by Tito Double P and Luis R Conriquez. This powerful corrido offers a unique opportunity to explore Spanish through its vivid storytelling, rich cultural references to figures like 'El Chapo' Guzmán, and distinctive musical style, making it a compelling listen for language learners and music enthusiasts alike.

[English]

We really miss Joaquín

And even though he's not here, his legacy remains strong

Well, I couldn't say goodbye, but from here I send a hug

I didn't see this coming, but now I'm here, where do I go now?

But that's life, I'm telling you to be careful

...

Badiraguato, the mountain range where I grew up, in the La Tuna ranch

Paths among trails, with caves made just his size

Puente Grande was the place, how to forget that famous escape

And years ago, because they wanted to kill him, they took a priest

...

When the old man partied, the 701 was always strapped

Good rhythm for dancing, got good steps with a blond girl

Plenty of confidence all around, relaxed and secure

Led by Cholo Iván, a pure ex-military man, tougher than a wall

Let's head to Culiacán, buddy Tito Double P, old friend

...

Cheer up, buddy Luis R

Happy and in love, he left seeds in many ranches

The eldest is Archivaldo, along with his brother and those from Jesús María

A few others here and there not mentioned, but still family

Edgar will watch over them, I will pray, a big hug up high

...

Friends of greatness, and very few came to wars with me

Compadres everywhere, but in my absence one switched sides

One federal agent was enough just to have me locked up here

For not wanting to fix things, my Cholo Iván would have shot him

...

With this, I say goodbye to my friends, my ranch, and my mother

Play beautiful ballads, those old ones, like my buddy’s song

...

[Spanish]

De verdad, cómo hace falta Joaquín

Y aunque no está aquí, bien firme el legado

Y pues ya no me pude despedir, pero desde aquí les mando un abrazo

Esta no la vi venir, mas ya estoy aquí, ¿ahorita para dónde me hago?

Pero la vida es así, les mando decir que se anden con cuidado

Badiraguato, la sierra donde creciera, en el rancho La Tuna

Caminos entre veredas, tenía sus cuevas hechas a su estatura

Puente Grande fue el lugar, cómo olvidar esa famosa fuga

Y varios años atrás, por quererlo matar, se llevaron un cura

Cuando el viejo se enfiestaba siempre fajada la 701

Buen ritmo pa la bailada, buen paso daba con una pelo rubio

Bastante seguridad por todo el lugar, relajado y seguro

Al mando del Cholo Iván, puro exmilitar, más blindado que un muro

Vámonos pa Culiacán, compa Tito Doble P, viejo

Y ánimo, compa Luis R

Alegre y enamorado, por varios ranchos dejó varias semillas

El mayor es Archivaldo, junto a su hermano y los de Jesús María

Uno que otro más por ahí sin mencionar, pero igual son familia

Edgar me los va a cuidar, le he de rezar, un abrazo hasta arriba

Amistades de grandeza y pa las guerras muy pocos me llegaron

Compadres por donde quiera, pero en mi ausencia uno cambió de bando

Un agente federal bastó nomás pa estar aquí encerrado

Por no querer arreglar, mi Cholo Iván lo hubiera fusilado

Ya con esta me despido de mis amigos, de mi rancho y mi madre

Toquen corridos bonitos, de esos viejitos, como el de mi compadre

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
legado /leˈɣa.do/ B2	noun - legacy; something left or passed down
vida /ˈbi.ða/ A1	noun - life
rancho /ˈrantʃo/ B1	noun - ranch; rural property or farmhouse
crecer /kɾeˈθeɾ/ A2	verb - to grow
cueva /ˈkwe.βa/ B1	noun - cave
fuga /ˈfu.ɣa/ B2	noun - escape, breakout
seguridad /seɣuɾiˈðað/ B2	noun - security, safety
relajado /relaˈxaðo/ B1	adjective - relaxed, calm
mando /ˈman.do/ B2	noun - command, leadership; control
blindado /blinˈdaðo/ C1	adjective - armored, reinforced
familia /faˈmi.lja/ A1	noun - family
rezar /reˈθar/ B2	verb - to pray
guerra /ˈɡe.ra/ B1	noun - war, conflict
agente /aˈxen.te/ B2	noun - agent, officer, representative
federal /feðeˈɾal/ B2	adjective - federal, relating to a national government
fusilar /fusiˈlar/ C1	verb - to shoot, execute by firing squad
compadre /komˈpa.ðɾe/ B2	noun - close friend, godfather; term of camaraderie
ausencia /awˈsenθja/ B2	noun - absence, lack of presence
encerrado /enseˈraðo/ B1	adjective - locked up, confined

Key Grammar Structures

• Y aunque no está aquí, bien firme el legado

  ➔ Subordinating conjunction 'aunque' (although) + present tense of 'estar'

  ➔ The use of 'aunque' introduces a contrast; 'está' is in present tense to emphasize a current situation despite a condition.

• Y pues ya no me pude despedir

  ➔ Preterite tense of 'poder' + reflexive infinitive 'despedir(se)'

  ➔ The preterite 'pude' expresses an action that could not be completed ('I wasn’t able to say goodbye'). The reflexive shows the subject acts upon themselves.

• Esta no la vi venir

  ➔ Double object pronouns + preterite tense

  ➔ 'La' is a direct object pronoun referring to 'esta' (this situation), placed before the verb 'vi' in preterite.

• Pero la vida es así

  ➔ Simple present with copular verb 'ser'

  ➔ 'Es' expresses a general truth — 'life is like that.' It's a statement of fact using the present indicative.

• Puente Grande fue el lugar

  ➔ Preterite tense of 'ser' used to identify past event/location

  ➔ 'Fue' (preterite of 'ser') signifies that 'Puente Grande' was the specific place of an event, emphasizing completion in the past.

• Al mando del Cholo Iván

  ➔ Prepositional phrase with 'al' (a + el) expressing authority or control

  ➔ The contraction 'al' introduces a prepositional phrase meaning 'under the command of Cholo Iván'.

• Uno que otro más por ahí sin mencionar

  ➔ Indefinite expression 'uno que otro' meaning 'one or another'; infinitive 'mencionar'

  ➔ The phrase 'uno que otro' suggests a few unspecified elements, and 'sin mencionar' literally means 'without mentioning'.

• Un agente federal bastó nomás pa estar aquí encerrado

  ➔ Preterite 'bastó' (bastar) + infinitive clause expressing cause

  ➔ 'Bastó' means 'was enough'; the infinitive 'estar encerrado' gives the consequence or result of that sufficiency.

• Ya con esta me despido

  ➔ Reflexive verb 'despedirse' in present tense + pronominal object 'me'

  ➔ The speaker uses 'me despido' ('I say goodbye') reflexively, meaning 'I take leave of you'; 'ya con esta' signals closure.